Learn all about how you can develop a “You” brand with your network marketing business. Create a unique niche within your business and prosper.

When people think of you and your business is there something specific with which they associate you? In order for you to experience the kind of success most people desire with a network marketing business it is very important to discover a way to differentiate themselves from the rest of the distributors in your chosen company and to create a “You” brand. So how will you go about doing this?

Decide what your unique talents, strengths, qualities and gifts are. Everyone has them. Make a written list. Include any hobbies and unique experiences. Put a star next to any of these you believe would make a specific and unique contribution to your network marketing business and to your company.

Develop some ideas about how you could offer your talents and abilities in a leadership role within your company as well as to your team members and downline. What specifically are you able to offer that no one else can? Examples may include: a training website on a specific facet of the business, a free e-book, a free e-course, a blog about an exceptional topic, a sales or training aid, or something else similar.

Create an illustration of the item you are planning on and show it to a few of the leaders in the company. Get their suggestions and then use it to develop your item even further.

What area or areas do you concentrate on in your network marketing business? For example, some people focus on the internet, others focus on networking groups, others on advertising, home parties, fundraisers etc. In order to be truly effective you must choose one or maybe two areas and concentrate on them.

Once you have chosen and begun to build up your area of focus, ask yourself the following questions. How can I develop my unique identity and niche within my chosen area of focus? Do you know the problems often encountered by many network marketers in this area? What issues or difficulties will often be encountered by distributors in my company, when they try to focus on this area?

Use your answers to the questions above to help you to finalize your unique “You” brand to help you in creating the training or guide that you will create to offer something of worth to your company and team.

Once in a while you will need to continue to evaluate how your “You” brand is working for you and you will need to make some changes. Be sure that everything you do whether online or off line with your network marketing business reflects the unique person that you are and the “You” brand you are creating.

When it comes to your competition, how does your business measure up? Are you aware what makes your business diverse and unique? Do you know what your weaknesses and strengths are, relative to that of your competitors? And – most of all – are you aware how your clients perceive your business, in relation to the competition?

If you do not know the answers, you may be working under a major liability, for a number of reasons. # 1, if you don’t understand what your unique strengths are you’re not giving your market any persuasive reason to choose you over the competition. Number two, if you don’t know what your competitors’ weaknesses are you may not be able to take advantage of a crucial available and/or undeserved niche within your market. And number three, if you’re unaware of your own weaknesses you may be driving customers away from your door.

Brand marketing is focused on creating a unique, memorable identity for your business that focuses on not just your strengths, but the strengths that make you different and unique within your market. You may think you are already aware what your strengths are, but so that you can really get a handle on where you want to position your business you’re going to need to find out how the major brands within your market are positioned, and how to position your brand in relation to them.

So how exactly do you check out the competition, directly – short of posing as an actual customer?

Websites are a great place to start, since almost every business has one these days. Your search-engine criteria might be simply the type of product and/or services you provide (i.e., “office supplies”, or “web design”) limited by region, area or type of market you serve (“Greater St. Louis area”, “Arizona”, “nationwide”, “online.”)

Once you have found the websites of several of your most important competitors, look closely at them. What impression do you get about this business? For example, do the images, copy and headlines convey a no-nonsense “we’ll save you money” approach? Or is the emphasis is more on the company’s experience and expertise? Write down a list of impressions you have about this business, based on its website. Also, pay close attention to whether your competitors are clearly targeting just one sector of the market, creating a niche you might be able to fill.

Now, take a look at your own website. Try to consider it from a third party point of view, the same way you did with your competitors. How does this business (yours) compare? Is it unique in terms of look and feel? Do the images, copy and headlines convey an emphasis unique and different from that of your competitors? Is it oriented towards a niche in the market you may be seeking to fill?

It sounds simple, but you’d be amazed how many small business owners never make an effort to review the websites of their competitors. Or, if they do, it is simply to check prices, services and payment options – without really looking at where their business stands in terms of brand identity within the market in general. This type of “website window-shopping” can be a gold-mine of invaluable information in terms of positioning your business for success.

If you’re interested in taking the concept further, you might think about a Do-It-Yourself version of the kind of brand comparison surveys major corporations pay market research firms to conduct. In order to be cost-effective for most small businesses, this would mean working together with marketing students from a local college or institute to make a brief survey rating your brand against that of your competitors in a few key areas – price, convenience and customer service, to name just a few – add that to overall perceptions concerning strengths and weaknesses. However this survey gets distributed and completed, what’s most important is that your respondents don’t know it’s you conducting the research. Otherwise, results could wind up skewed.

Once you have specific information concerning your own strengths, weaknesses and unique attributes – as well as those of your competitors – you’ll have the information you need to create a unique brand identity that positions your business for success.

Name branding is an essential requirement of choosing and keeping your company name. Branding is also important when considering how to package your next product, what name to give it, and how to market it.

The process of branding can be as simple as choosing between stars and stellar when labeling a product. Or it can be as complex as choosing what colors can best convey the worth and mission of your company. If you play your cards right, your company image can stick indelibly to your prospective customers minds, and you can have them coming back for more.

Branding is a huge issue in Internet marketing, since the Internet is an environment driven by visual impressions. The most beautiful websites gather the most visitors; the most educational websites, even with all their authority and worth, can go unnoticed when they are not well designed or easy to navigate. Even website text has to be methodically arranged in a customer-friendly manner. Non-serif texts are preferred over serif texts. Colors need to be matched against a background, with dark text over light backgrounds preferred, and text size needs to be easy to read.

Branding your business can be easier if you use blog software, and maintain it. Individual web surfers to maintain online diaries use Blog software. But it has also found use in designing simple web pages, creating online newsletters, as well as keeping prospective customers updated about the activities, products, and services of a business. Keeping a blog also provides you with the opportunity to reach out to customers. Many blog software packages include the ability to leave comments or give instant feedback on a blog page, which can make your blog appear much more people and customer-friendly.

If you are interested in using blogs to brand your company online, then you have to know your company thoroughly first. What are your goals? What’s your mission and vision? Are you offering products that will last through the long term, or are you making products that will be updated regularly? Are you offering services, which can be carried out only online, or are you offering services that will occur in your brick-and-mortar store? How much time and money are you willing to invest in updating your blog?

As soon as you have all these details, you can design your blog to suit your company’s needs, and to brand it online. The key to successful branding is to create an image that will be remembered, and that will allow easy recall. Use your prospective customers’ visual memory when designing your blog site and choosing your layout and colors. The first thing that customers will remember, along with your name, is your logo. Use your logo colors in your blog site, and design your upper banner line or masthead so that it contains your company logo and name.

The world of Web 2. Is a paradigm that describes the interactivity of today’s Internet. People now go online less to do research, but to make their voices be heard, and to interact with others. Give your prospective customers a chance to have their say by installing communication software or programs on your blog. Included in this are items such as a guestbook, a testimony board, a forum, or comments boxes. This can let your customers voice their opinions, and to provide you with feedback about your products and services.

Interactivity, however, also comes with a price. You need to have such interactive environments moderated and guarded closely because spammers or flamers, or anyone who wants to destroy your company can certainly dominate them. Farfetched as it might sound; online forums suffer from such people and have to be constantly watched so that other forum or group members aren’t offended. Do exactly the same to your blog. Let your customers have their say, but remove any post that appears to be malicious and not constructive in intention.

Although this can appear like censorship, you must remember that, as with the real world, Internet communication has its limits. Slander and malice have no place on your site, so state your position plainly and make sure that your prospective customers understand if their comments are not accepted, or if they are banned. This can be done by posting editorial guidelines or a set of conditions and terms on your site, and by asking prospective customers to read them before creating comments on your blog.

Lastly, update your blog constantly. Do not stop at just showcasing your products and services, or explaining your company name but also post information that may be crucial to your prospective customers. If you are in the jewelry business, give daily tips on how to maintain the shine of silver jewelry. If you are in real estate, give daily tips on how to pick the best houses for a person or family’s needs. Always show customers how much you care, and they will remember you for your consideration.

Branding is not a new concept, and it requires only a good knowledge of people’s tastes and your markets whims. That said, participate in branding only after you have studied your market completely, and after you have really determined and embraced your company’s aims and vision. If you can take advantage of the best of the blogging arena, you can brand your company online and see your profits soar.